Dark Circle Cream Before & After: 2 Products, 1 Month

A month ago, I wrote an article about wanting to look a little less like Grumpy Cat in the dark circles department. I chose two products and promised to use them religiously--one on each eye--for a month straight.

Now, I don’t think any skin care product can truly erase circles, and I wholeheartedly believe in embracing my perceived flaws, but I enjoy highlighting my big, expressive eyes--and dark circles have a tendency to get in the way of that.

The products I chose were Origins Mega Bright Dark Circle Minimizer and Caudalie Polyphenol C15 Anti-Wrinkle Eye & Lip Cream. Both formulas include a healthy dose of vitamin C, which one study says can be effective in fading dark circles caused by hyper-pigmentation.

For four weeks straight, morning and night, I applied Origins to my left eye and Caudalie to my right eye. Increased moisture and decreased puffiness results were immediate with both products. The slow fade of my dark circles was harder to notice. Let's commence with the before and afters.

Frankly, I wasn’t expecting to see much change, but there is a visible difference in the darkness around my eyes.

These photos were taken in the same spot in my apartment, both about an hour after I woke up. In fact, I took the after photos shortly after my brother’s wedding (a weekend of too little sleep and too much Champagne).

Both eye creams appear to live up to their claims of decreasing dark circles. I’d say Origins has a slightly more noticeable effect, as it has a peachy-yellow tint and tiny light reflecting particles that help cancel out darkness, visually. On the other hand, I love how the Caudalie tube can dispense the tiniest pin-dot of cream. A little goes a long way, so this product, while pricey, can last a good six to 12 months.

Overall, I saw some improvements to my dark circles, but it wasn't such a drastic change that my friends have noticed. I enjoy using eye creams so I’ll continue to apply Origins in the morning and Caudalie at night--just for the brightening boost. The most effective way to deal with dark circles is still concealer for me, but the vitamin C in these products doesn't hurt.

Are you an eye cream believer? Have you ever tried anything that made a noticeable difference in your dark circles?